The Wright One

ISABELLE

I let my best friend Cassie talk me into going out tonight. Eden Bar is supposed to be the place to be tonight. I really don’t care if it is or not. I would rather be home. No offense to Luke and his new bar, but I’m tired and have had a week. Trying to prove that I am actually cut out for high school is exhausting. Plus now thanks to my students I can’t get a certain asshole out of my head. But maybe a drink and a dance with a stranger would put him back in his place, out of my head.

I know going out with Cassie has strings attached. Like I have to dress up. She says we may not have a club in town but that doesn’t mean that we can’t dress like it when we go to the bar. I think it is the stupidest thing on the planet, but Cassie isn’t one to back down from her way of thinking.

I put on my short black dress that I hate wearing. It ends just under my butt. Then the top hugs all the way up. The neckline does a sweetheart thing. Which I kind of like, but it just seems wasted on the bar. I mean Eden Bar is the best in town but that doesn’t mean a whole hell of a lot. It’s still just a bar. Sorry Luke.

I like to make sure I have my car, because Cassie tends to drink too much. So I told her that I would meet her there. This is normal for us, so Cassie doesn’t throw a fit about this. Thank God, that is one argument that I won.

Once I pull up to the bar I see that there are way too many people here. I know it is Friday night and all, but how many people are actually allowed inside? Maybe I will get lucky and they will say they are over capacity and won’t let me in.

I should know that luck isn’t on my side. So the Bar also has this outdoor patio thing that people use to dine at. It’s nice out so that is where most people are. Not Cassie though. No, she is parked at the bar. She has two guys talking to her like she is the next America’s top Model. Ok, so she is hot enough, but she is too much of a clutz to make it down a runway. She is a tall leggy woman with dark curls that she pins back most of the time. She used to braid it a lot but she doesn’t do that anymore. Her ample chest is almost falling out of her red dress that is strapless and if possible a little shorter than mine.

Her eyes light up when she sees me. “Issy.” She yells and starts waving her hands. Both guys look over. I can see their looks of appreciation and I want to go home.

Still I make my way over to Cassie. “Hey Cass, I thought we were just having drinks?”

She gives me that mischievous grin of hers. “Well, how much better is it to drink with a couple of hot guys.” She adds. The guys are moderately attractive. Not Alex Saxon attractive, but attractive enough. The guy behind Cassie is a little taller than me with dark hair, he has it kind of long but not too long. He looks well built, lean like a runner. The guy in front of Cassie, is blond, with short hair that he has spiked up a little. Juvenile if you ask me. He’s about the same height as me which is to say that he is a few inches taller than Cassie. She has legs but somehow is shorter than me by three inches. He’s trim, but I think that might be just the luck of the draw, he doesn’t seem to work out. At least it doesn’t look like it to me.

“Cass, I’m really tired, I have been working my ass off all week. I just want to relax.”

She puts her hand on my shoulder. “Issy, we are relaxing. Just chill. This is Brett and Zane. They work over at the law firm on main.”

Oh, great lawyers. Brett, the one behind Cass, breaks off and comes towards me. “What is it that you do?”

“I am a teacher.” I state, trying to be polite, even though this is not what I signed up for.

He chuckles. “If I had teachers like you I would have probably paid more attention in school.”

I hide a groan. I have heard this about a million times. I turn to the bartender. “Thomas, can you get me a shot of whiskey please.” I am going to need it.

“Sure thing Issy.” He nods and hustles around the bar. I think they might need to hire another bartender. Thomas always seems so busy. I mean they used to have a second guy, but I guess he was handing out free drinks so they had to let him go. I just don’t get why they haven’t hired anyone else.

Brett slides up next to me. I guess he is my date for the night, whether I want him to be or not. How do I let Cassie talk me into these things?